& C2 }- G6 H% s- m6 D8 X中国最早成立的婚友网站之一,“世纪佳缘”(love21cn.com)的创始人兼执行长龚海燕表示:“社会变迁非常快速,年轻人搬到大城市中,但在那里,他们却没有朋友和家人。”由于人生地不熟,年轻人于是将网络当作交友的平台。& c n$ _7 I6 l; H, w5 R
3 w! W6 c% [. ~8 T当配对网站在美国与欧洲以缓慢的步伐近趋成熟时,中国却呈现另一种姿态。中国快速增长的年轻移动人口,多数在20或30出头时,便感受到来自父母与社会的成婚压力,交友网站应运而生,且蓬勃发展;根据上海的研究机构iResearch的研究,2008年中国婚恋交友网站行业的收入将达8000万美元。/ n* o3 V3 x0 c' e' P& K
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May Yao, left, used online matchmaking Web site Baihe.com to meet Donny Liang. The two are engaged. 0 h/ {2 p: K7 ^. f* G ; m" b! T; G3 |, O. T6 b/ ]) S$ S7 M( S
在上海或北京等大城,平均结婚年龄也年年增长。1980年为23岁,目前则为27岁,另有许多人将预计的结婚年龄订在30岁之前。 3 A4 _& |$ P( X( L5 n' F0 X8 N/ V $ W3 h* \' a3 y, L* Q# ^除了收费的交友网站外,也有免费提供注册的。拥有繁体中文、简体中文、英文三种版本的“亚洲交友中心”(Asiafriendfinder.com),每位使用者都可透过网站结交海内外朋友,虽然服务免费,但功能丰富,包括个人相片张贴、他人相片检索、会员资料搜寻等。/ ?7 Z" k9 y5 ~5 _. R7 W% T0 t+ j: M
|# l0 {- F2 d5 {% s+ q# R亚洲交友中心母公司,“交友网路公司”(Friend Finder Network)总裁张麦可(Michael Zhang)表示:“将亚洲交友中心网站免费开放使用,主要是考量许多海内外的单身男女均有认识异性朋友的迫切需求,但却不一定有能力付费使用服务。”9 k7 C7 ` w3 I a
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Internet matchmaking blooms in China , ~, c' A# j+ s& Z1 W& C$ R9 j0 [. ]) s
DRIVEN BY HEARTS AND WALLETS, UPWARDLY MOBILE SEEK PARTNERS ( {6 |- s' }- B! K7 r. o# o( `8 t/ n7 Y
BEIJING - When May Yao talks about love, she could be discussing a business plan, not a matter of the heart. She is 25, attractive, successful - a graduate from the prestigious Peking University. She works for a real estate company, owns two apartments - valued at $260,000 each - and drives a BMW. Now, she is looking for success in her romantic life, too: She hired Internet "love counselors" to help her find a husband. "After age 25, you are not as beautiful," she said. "It is like the stock market: You want to sell at the peak." It's girl-wants-to-meet-boy, modern Chinese-style. There is a certain drive to couple up - something akin to the way Chinese young people seek educational and professional perfection. "That's something people in Silicon Valley don't appreciate - how intense people are here," observed venture capitalist Gary Rieschel, who relocated from Silicon Valley to Shanghai and is looking to invest in a dating Web site. Dating sites are among the hottest new slices of China's emerging Internet market. In a nation where young people have traditionally relied on parents, friends and even professional matchmakers to help find a mate, the Internet is emerging as a great leap forward in the search for Mr. and Ms. Right. Dating sites, some backed by valley investors, are blossoming in what could become the greatest matchmaking market known to humankind: China's 130 million - and growing - online users.! }3 |: y. Q' {+ r
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